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Frequently Asked Questions

How can I reach you guys?

How should I communicate with manufacturers?

Sign in or make a free account, then hit the contact button on the manufacturer’s profile and fill out the order details questionnaire. Once submitted, you’ll be introduced to the manufacturer's representative through email.

I have a custom design or niche product invention. Can manufacturers make it for me?

A manufacturer will tell you upfront whether they can make an item or not, but only after conveying what you need. It’s highly effective to explain it through a detailed drawing, technical drawings, a tech pack, or a sample. You can have these made by finding a technical designer in your local area.

How can I protect my designs?

Option 1: You can have an non-disclosure agreement (NDA) with your manufacturer detailing that they cannot discuss your designs with other parties.

Option 2: You can file for a design patent to protect your design. Design patents, although relatively cheap, are easy to bypass. Someone can simply change a component in your design to avoid infringing on your patent.

I’ve contacted a manufacturer. Why haven’t I received a reply?

A factory might be on a national holiday, or they might be busy with other clients at the time. Please wait about up to 5 business days for a response. There is a chance they might not respond to you because they’re not taking new clients, or your order quantity is not high enough.

Should I visit my manufacturer?

Visiting a manufacturer in person is certainly a great way to get to know the people you’re working with while showing how serious you are about working with them. You should take this time to visit the facilities, make samples side-by-side, and work out the details of your order. This will save you weeks of back and forth communication.

Is my order insured?

At this time, Bambify does not offer insurance and is not liable for any incidents regarding sampling and prototyping.

Definitions

Sample: Another word for a prototype. If a manufacturer asks you for a sample, they are referring to a prototype of the garment you are trying to make. If they ask for a fit-sample, they are asking for a garment with the fit you like (e.g., a Nike t-shirt you want to base the fit on). If a manufacturer asks if you want a sample, they are asking you if you want a prototype they can make for you.

Supplier: A company that creates and supplies materials such as fabrics. Every manufacturer works with a textile supplier. You can approach different textile suppliers for a wide selection of fabrics, and have them send samples to your manufacturers to create a sample garment.

Production Time: The time to cut and sew your garments.

Lead Time: The production time + the time to allocate materials for production.

Freight on Board (FOB): Freight on board is usually used when noting the cost of your production plus the shipment cost to the shipyard. Thus, a manufacturer might quote you “$6.00 USD/piece FOB”, which means the unit cost is $6 USD for production per unit and the cost of getting it to the shipyard where the boat or airplane will take possession of it.

Factory: The facility where products are produced.

Pattern: In sewing and fashion design, a pattern is the template from which the parts of a garment are traced onto fabric before being cut out and assembled. Patterns are usually made of paper, and are sometimes made of sturdier materials like paperboard or cardboard if they need to be more robust to withstand repeated use. Many manufacturers will request this to make a sample. You can have a technical designer make this in your local area. Expect it to cost anywhere between $100-$300 USD depending on the skill and difficulty of the project.

Tech Pack: A tech pack is an informative sheet that designers create to communicate with a manufacturer all the necessary components needed to construct a product. Typically designers will include measurements, materials, colors, trim, hardware, grading, labels, tags, etc. This is more intensive, and may cost $200-$600 to make.

Minimum Order Quantity (MOQ): The minimum quantity a manufacturer is willing to accept for a production order. For example, if the MOQ is 500 units of socks, then that is the lowest quantity a manufacturer is willing to accept to take on your project.